I think I can speak for most people when I say I first discovered Zendaya after watching her as Rocky Blue on Disney Channel’s “Shake It Up.” Even after all this time, she has remained an important figure in my life growing up. Since working for Disney Channel, Zendaya has released hit songs, starred in movies, and now has her own critically acclaimed television show on HBO called “Euphoria.” She is a major presence in the entertainment industry, but not only that, she is an inspiring young woman who is a great role model for anyone to have.
Even though she is a black woman in Hollywood, Zendaya still recognizes herself as being privileged, and she wants to change that: “As a light-skinned black woman, it’s important that I’m using my privilege, my platform to show you how much beauty there is in the African-American community,” she said at Beautycon Festival in 2018. “I am Hollywood’s…acceptable version of a black girl and that has to change. We’re vastly too beautiful and too interesting for me to just be the only representation of that.” Zendaya identifies as a feminist and aims to bring attention to racial inequality in the world, specifically in Hollywood.
She has said plenty of times before that she understands her privilege as being a light-skinned Black woman, and she wants to use that to help other people in her community. She’s also expressed that her probability in getting a role would most likely be higher than that of a darker-skinned Black woman. Continuing to talk about this at Beautycon Festival, Zendaya said, “It’s about creating those opportunities…You have to create those paths.”
To add to her mature manner when speaking on important issues, Zendaya is constantly aware of the younger audiences she has following her; she makes a point to always be kind and sensitive. She wants to be a good role model for younger people who look up to her and speaks out against injustice and hate, but not in the disrespectful way that would be inappropriate for her image.
When her dreadlocks at the 2015 Oscars were criticized, she didn’t lash out in the angry way I’m sure she felt. Instead, she addressed the issue with poise, writing that those statements made about her were racist, stereotypical, and offensive. She wanted to wear her hair like that to showcase her black hair positively, but then was met with harsh and unnecessary critiques. She shut down the people who were making these hateful comments in an elegant and educational way through a long Instagram post.
Zendaya’s talent, kindness, and grace has kept me with her for almost a decade, and I am so proud to talk about being her fan. I am constantly rooting for her success and well-deserved happiness. It’s strange to sit back and think about how she’s only two years older than me and has already made such an impact on so many different people. The world would be a much better place if everyone just acted like my beauty queen, Zendaya Coleman.